Ironically this review is skillful and not passionate or soulful. It relies on funny wordplay to make it's point. I haven't read her book but this review is more about the reviewer than about the book. Right down to the affected "ummm" pauses.

difficult to talk about duende without talking about Lorca

Good stuff. If you're looking for another good memoir, may I suggest Joe Queenan's "Closing Time."

I just finished Something for the Pain - you're right, the ending is one of the most moving things I've ever read, which, is odd as it's a book about horse racing. The scene is a little tragedy seen through the eyes of a punter at a race course and is as affecting as anything in a work of drama. There's also a beautiful flight of imagination where he talks about the era he calls "The Golden Era of Horse Racing" when most people kept racehorses in their backyards and at dawn the streets were full of hundreds of people walking their horses in the morning air. It's only a dozen words of so, but somehow hugely evocative. I probably wouldn't have gotten to this without your excellent piece on YT, which I appreciate even more now I've read the book.

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Excellent analysis.

John - Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful book as well as the insightful analysis!

Very deep comparative analysis of both books! Despite the political disparities of the two authors, both books are well written and (as you rightfully put it) should be read and understood in a thoughtful manner as opposed to be viewed based on a "simplified" approach.

Great video, I agree about novels the only way to get into a character's head. That's the best part, for me. I've worked in libraries and bookstores for years, and I think people's waning interest in books isn't as bad as you think. Book lovers are still out there. Also, love The Great Brain series!

You popped up again on my feed after I followed you several years ago. Sometimes the algorithm does good work. Really appreciate your insights - will spend time watching more of your videos. I always loved Fante's description of the Mexican waitress in Ask the Dust.

Great video. I've been working as a ghostwriter, and there are so many days where I don't know why I'm doing it because, in the end, you're right--it doesn't feel like art. It's not even appreciated most of the time by a client. Nothing is more disheartening than when I put so much time and work into something, and it's dismissed. I have to remind myself now to pull back on projects and not write something how I want because I need to put a value on my time and energy that I find many clients do not understand and don't want to pay for the work. People sometimes are shocked by how much a job should cost, and I find myself saying, "Then tell me, why are you hiring a ghostwriter and not doing it yourself?" There are some clients (mostly for developmental editing) who genuinely appreciate the help, and it becomes a workshopping/coaching experience that feels really good in the end. But those clients are a rarity now. Most people just want me to put their garbage on a page and pay me pennies while having the attitude that I should be grateful for the work and not be replaced by AI (true story).

Always a pleasure to check your videos. Brings me back from teetering over the edge of flippant nihilism. I will acquaint myself with the works of Mr Gilbert

Wow! I came here after falling upon 'Trans Widow Utee Hegel" who lays into Morris. Thank you for describing (and is such an eloquent fashion) the complexity of Jan's condition and how it compares to the often mad and dangerous gender ideology of today. There are few who think like you do. Here is my response to her: I am English gay man and take great exception to the new gender ideologies. I'm in line with Douglas Murray's views on this: that we gained our basic rights around 20 years ago and that the progressive movement (a.k.a Woke awareness lobby) is ultimately a detriment to gay men and women. In the day, heterosexual trans men were called 'crossdressers' and were part of a more subversive group exterior to the gay world. Not drag queens and not gay men wanting to change their sex. However today, we now know more about dysphoria and fetish. I would say Jan had the former. The fetishists keep their male genitalia. Therefore I think you are being unkind and generalising about Jan. She made a great contribution to Western civilisation and would have scorned current ideologies. She clearly kept the same family role of many English fathers of the era: emotionally distant and soforth. Don't conflate with the madness going on today. Nobody is perfect and she was 'not your husband'.

Hi john Where i can buy the book please y de paso me corrijes si escribi mal gracias

Nice. I read this when a friend recommended it. What I remember is the incredible, painful, honesty. It was almost confronting to read. Another thing was has portrait of LA in that era, it was so different, the way the economy worked was totally different and chronicled it in such an interesting way. Good work!

Nice job!

I had been anticipating this video for the past couple weeks - since the last video where you mentioned the future plans. Thank you. After considering all your insights, I thought afterwards, that it is interesting to look back and see how Obama governed. Some political commentators say that he introduced raced based politics into the American mainstream. While growing up, he developed a keen eye for seeing both sides of black/white, rich/poor. But when he was given power, he borderline preyed on the idea of victim and oppressor. Also, I liked your point about how both of these men are exceptional and that Vance seems to be oblivious to the fact that not everyone can achieve what he has solely through effort. But I like to think that his opinion on that is truly genuine. The term, “only in America”, applies to both of these men. Thanks again! ( hope this isn’t too political - not my intention)

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Okay, so having read 'Open', 'Shoe Dog' and 'Spare', I have to say they are all works of art. I can only ever remember stopping reading memoirs twice in my life to see who the ghostwriter was. Both times, it was J. R. Moehringer. I had no idea. Then, knowing he wrote 'Spare', I read it too, and he did an excellent job. In some ways, it is even more a work of art given the restrictions imposed upon him by the 'authors'. As an author of five books myself, I can only say that I'm beyond impressed by his work.

good to see and hear you again...will be tuning in. ss

The relationship between Arturo and Camilla it a tragedy.

Sounds good. Looking forward to it. Sometime I'd love to hear your thoughts on Gerald Murnane's The Plains. I loved the vid you did on Something for the Pain. Would be amazing to hear you compare and contrast to something similar, maybe something from the States.

Okay then, look forward to it - especially the most immediate book comparison as well as your discussion of the transcendentalists. So good to hear from you again. 🤠

I enjoyed listening to both of your reviews (the first one the Days in the Caucasus and this one). I also was slightly disappointed by the Parisian days: at times it read like unconnected bits, with storylines interrupted. I, too, was left wanting to find out more about Banine’s father and other family members. But as an Azerbaijani myself, who is also an émigré, albeit not in France, I felt the parts on adaptation, cultural assimilation or the lack thereof, was interesting. Anne Thompson noted that Banine substantially revised this second book in the 80s, so that might be the reason why the story is so often interrupted (as well as her own voice, which seems to have different tones). Anyways - both were really enlightening reads and your videos were fun to watch! Thanks

Wonderful clear passionate piece about Jan Morris. She was interviewed by Dick Cavett in 1974 when i was a kid and i remember being blasted by her clarity and joy about her transformation while those around her were so troubled. it liberated me just to watch her. i've been trying to find that interview but can't. if you see it please let me know.

As i was reading "Spare" i was like....is he really the one writing the book? Bc it felt like it was written from a professional, so i googled it and found out that Prince Harry had not written the book. And im like...im a writer ( new writer) and i cannot imagine writing books for other people without my name or even my fake name on it and the fake authors to take credits. You devote a part of your soul in writing, why give it to someone else that they will only get money from it? Like Moehringer is very talented. He should write his own books only for me. And even if the other people are not professionals to be able to write books, they can take advices from writers, but if they do not write the books about themselves, then how are they supposed to say their own story and express how they actually felt when it was happening?

Great piece. I'm just starting reading Murnane, beginning with The Plains which is a little masterpiece. Now I have to add Something for the Pain to my list.

just getting feet wet with M..reaction..shock surprise.."He wroe that? and that? and that?" a master writer of English and inspiration to other writers... vocabulary begging to be snitched..

I lived in Seville (El Zaudín) for 2 years and loved it. Also Maugham's books. Maugham has the capacity to to describe a human interaction, but then exp.ain all the nuances that take place inside the mind of the characters. In one story he says something like "tne fact that he could make such elaboate inferences on the basis of just one laugh heard through the wall in another room, tells you about his ability to appreciate even the most subtle things". Gold

Also have you ever come across Kenneth Patchen?

Awesome experience, do you still have your manuscript

Great video! Open is an amazing book! I don't care much about tennis, but I couldn't stop reading the book. (And it's also how I discovered J. R. Moehringer. )

I'm so glad i stumbled upon your channel, i love your analysis. Will keep this one in mind.

Thanks for your helpful advice. Im a novice writer and there's a lot to learn from this video. Cheers.

I've just heard this man on the Canadian national public radio station, CBC. He was interviewed on a show called, 'Ideas'. I had never heard of him and found the man and the interview fascinating and inspiring. He is an atheist and I am a born-again Christian and still found it uniquely expansive. I'm sure the program is available for free (near this time) on the CBC Ideas web page. Thank you for your plugged-in review.

Molto simpatico

Can't tell what his point is.

Lisa of Lambeth is about his life in the slums not of human Bondage.

I am going to check it out. Have been listening to Maughs short stories online and appreciating his characters and plots. Thanks for your inspiring talk and good luck with your book.

Have you read Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “My Struggle”? I’m curious what you think about it. It’s a six-volume work of memoir/autofiction. You probably know all about it.

Nice work - especially the line "Maugham was nothing if not clear." The Anglosphere Modernists absolutely despised Maugham as a writer beneath high art for that clarity, but their prolix drivel will soon be nothing but disparaged by posterity.

His name suggested some literary lightweight so I steered clear for decades, my loss, or maybe I was better off coming to them late. I never suspected it would be his depiction of the inconsequental brutality of our lives that was lying in wait.

Iceberg Slim. Pimp.

the film sucks. good job. thank you.

I always thought Ellis seemed like a good person in interviews, and I like his books a lot. His literary taste strikes me as impeccable. The books he talks about are always fantastic. Ask the Dust is no exception. I enjoyed your discussion here.

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I love this book rant series! This one here, in particular, spoke directly to me, as someone always looking for brilliant work that does not try to be cutesy, or morally didactic, or politically correct, or virtuous... but just damn good literature. I'll need to get a hold of The Other Jack. Carry on, John!

Thanks very much for your moving review.

Thank you for these recommendations. I wrote them all 3 down. I love Jesus' Son. It's one of my favorites so hopefully I'll like these too.